10/14 Strategy Preview | Inflation Is Heating Up Again
① What Happened Today U.S. inflation rose to 3.7%, and rate pressure is back in the market. CPI came in hotter than expected: September CPI rose to 3.7% year over year, and core CPI rose to 2.6%. Higher energy prices pushed inflation up. Treasury yields jumped, the dollar strengthened, and gold and silver came under pressure. The market is starting to bet on more Fed rate hikes ahead, which is bad for tech stock valuations. Anthropic becomes the focus of the AI trade: Investor Day will test how AI commercialization is going. The market is watching whether annual recurring revenue (ARR) can keep growing, and when AI spending will turn into profit. Semiconductors were recently cut by hedge funds, but overall positioning is still high. If earnings or guidance miss, the sector could keep swing
$Broadcom(AVGO)$ $Applied Materials(AMAT)$ saw a complete capitulation before semis turned around. That could have marked the final flush before heading back up. Let's see what happens next.
Questions are finally starting to be asked about the AI trade, and the answers may not please some. Longtime readers know the AI trade is something I’ve generally stayed away from. We’re seeing trillions of dollars invested in AI technology that hasn’t proven (yet) to have a sustainable business model. My argument isn’t that it’s not valuable, but rather that we’re likely to over-invest, get a correction (the bubble pops), and then the opportunity for long-term gains comes in the wreckage. In other words, the “Trough of Disillusionment” is my sweet spot, which I explained in this 2024 article. I’m not predicting the bubble bursting yet. But I’m not going to get in front of that train, holding the bag when it does. And the past week has seen most of the AI infrastructure (bottleneck) stocks
ASML Q3 2026 Earnings Preview: Strategic Metrics, Financial Sector Implications, and Semiconductor Capital Rotation
ASML Holding (ASML) $ASML Holding NV(ASML)$ is scheduled to release its Q3 2026 financial results on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, before the market opens (at 07:00 CET via the ASML Investor Relations Portal. In this article, we would be discussing a comprehensive analysis evaluates the core financial and operational metrics investors must scrutinize, assesses the systemic read-throughs for the financial sector and peer semiconductor equities, and analyzes potential cross-asset portfolio rotations. 1. Introduction & Context for Q3 2026 As ASML Holding N.V. approaches its third-quarter 2026 earnings release, the semiconductor industry stands at a critical juncture. The market has moved beyond initial artificial intelligence hype into a rigorous
FOMC Minutes, Rising Yields, and Macro-Market Realities
Wall Street closed lower following the release of the Federal Reserve FOMC Minutes, with major indexes declining as rising Treasury yields revived inflation fears. In this article, we seek to provide an in-depth analysis of monetary policy shifts, hyperscaler capex dynamics, and asset allocation strategies for the current situation. 1. Key Takeaways from the FOMC Minutes The minutes from the Federal Open Market Committee meeting underscored a decisive pivot toward a higher-for-longer policy stance. While policymakers acknowledged moderating economic momentum in certain sectors, persistent service-sector inflation and robust labor market conditions complicated the disinflation narrative. Several core insights emerged: Prolonged High Rates: A clear majority of participants emphasized that mo
Applied Materials, Inc. is a materials engineering solution company. The Company provides equipment, services and software to the semiconductor, display, and related industries. It operates through two segments: Semiconductor Systems and Applied Global Services (AGS). The Semiconductor Systems segment includes semiconductor capital equipment to enable materials engineering steps including etch, rapid thermal processing, deposition, chemical mechanical planarization, metrology and inspection, wafer packaging, and ion implantation. The AGS segment provides integrated solutions to optimize equipment and fab performance and productivity, including services, spares and factory automation software for semiconductor and other products. Its products include personal computing devices, mobile phones, artificial intelligence (AI) and data center servers, automobiles, connected devices, industrial applications and consumer electronics.
09-08
Proposed Sale Of Securities
Form 144 | Applied Materials Director Judy Bruner proposes to sell 1000 shares, with a total value of approximately $465,000.